A Shared Heart
by VegaLume-San
Summary: Duo's best friend dies and Heero recives his heart via transplant. Total A/U 1x2x1 medical themes - death of a child
1. Chapter 1

Title: A Shared Heart (revised)

Author: Vega-Lume

Beta: Krista (sorry Hymie-kun)

Disclaimer: I don't own the boys, I just like to play with them. (hee hee) and I do promise to put them back when I am done. (has fingers crossed behind her back)

Warning: Angst (duh), A/U, and my sorry attempts at humor.

Pairings: 2x1, 3x4x3, and 5xSally

Archive: media miner

Hugs to Krista for the wonderful beta job!

Please read the notes at the end. They explain a bit about the names.

For Naomi, who even though she retired from the fandom, will always be considered my friend.

Heero's Heart chapter 1

By Vel

Summer vacation had finally arrived and a close group of friends had made plans to spend as much of their vacation together as they could.

Wufei, Quatre, Trowa, Hilde, Dorothy, Duo and Solo had grown up together in the small town of Johnston. They went to elementary school, middle school and high school together and they were all looking forward to starting the next school year as juniors.

They shared nearly everything with each other, and were pleased when just before the end of the school year Trowa and Quatre announced that they were now officially a couple. Everyone already knew that they were together so it was about time that they admitted to it. Wufei's girlfriend Sally; though not quite a full member of their little family yet, was a welcome addition to some of their group activities. She moved to Johnston two years ago went to a private prep. School for girls so she didn't have the same history with the group that the others did.

They basically lived normal lives in a normal suburban town.

"Hey Thea, what's going on? Wufei says that you're going away for a while." Duo said.

"Yeah, I'm going to Rowing for a while. I'm not sure how long I'll be staying." A pained look filled her eyes.

"Your brother?" Duo inquired softly.

Dorothy sighed and nodded. "It won't be long now, he's so sick. I had hoped that he would get well but…I..." She swallowed down a sob. "…I think he'll be gone before I come back."

Duo laid a comforting hand on his friends' shoulder. "I'm so sorry; I know that you were looking forward to your dads' family moving here."

"I think that he and Linda will still come after the funeral, but I was really looking forward to you and the others meeting Heero. He is such…" Dorothy paused; bringing a hand up to cover her quivering mouth as she fought the urge to cry. "He's such a wonderful person… Gods Duo I don't want him to die!" She buried her face in her friends' chest, crying openly now.

"Shh, it's going to be alright, I know that it's hard, but just remember that he won't be in any more pain." He said softly, resting his cheek against her soft blond hair.

He felt Dorothy nod beneath his cheek. /That was true/ She thought. He had been so sick for so long that it would be a mercy for him, and an end to all of his suffering.

"Duo?" Duo looked past Dorothy to see Hilde standing a few feet away a questioning expression on her face He shook his head in the negative, and Hilde nodded in understanding before walking away.

"I have to go. My mom will be here soon to take me to the bus station." Duo pulled back looking into his friends tear stained face. He used his fingers to wipe the tears from her cheeks and offered a small smile.

"I'm always here if you need me, you know that right?" Dorothy nodded "Call me whenever you need me, even if it's three in the morning."

Dorothy smiled. "Thank you Duo, I'll call you when I get there if I can." A car horn sounded and Dorothy looked towards the source then turned back to her friend. "That's mom, I'll talk to you later."

"Kay" he replied, giving the blond girl a brief hug. She gave him another small smile then hurried off to the waiting car. Duo waved at Dorothy's mom and the blond woman behind the wheel nodded in return.

Duo watched as Dorothy's mom pulled away from the curb. He looked on with aching heart even after the car turned a corner and was out of sight.

Hilde returned a few moments after the car pulled away. "What was that all about?" she asked pushing a dark strand of hair behind her ear. Duo took a moment to explain what was going on.

Their tight knit little group of friends were a family, each of them knowing all about what was happening with the others, so Duo was confidant that Dorothy would not mind if the others knew what was going on in her family. They were all there with her every step of the way when her parents went through their divorce; she was only eleven at the time, and when her father moved away. They even offered support a year later during her depression at the thought that her beloved father was starting a new family with a woman who already had an eleven-year-old son.

However, when she came back from her first visit after her father remarried, Dorothy's depression had completely disappeared. She still was and always would be 'daddy's little girl' and she adored her new younger brother. Especially when she announced that when her brother got well; from some illness that he had, her father and his family would be moving back to Johnston to be closer to her.

They were only staying in Rowing because of the larger city's excellent Children's Hospital.

It wasn't until she was fifteen that the group learned that her brother was very, very ill and the likelihood that he would get well was very slim, but Dorothy always held the hope that he would one day recover and her friends would get the chance to meet him.

Now that hope was crushed, and she was going to see him for what would most likely be the last time.

That night the small group of friends sat around their usual table at the local pizza place and had a Coca-Cola toast to Dorothy each offering a kind word in the support of their friend. It wasn't the ideal way to start summer vacation but this was one of the ways they showed how much they cared for each other.

"I know that we never got the chance to know Heero the way Dorothy does, but I feel that he is already a part of our family." Solo said softly. Wufei nodded.

"Yes, we know so much about him, through her, that I personally feel that I already know him." The Chinese boy replied.

"I agree." Hilde added. Quatre and Trowa both nodded in agreement.

"To Heero!" Duo said, raising his glass.

"To Heero!" the others called in unison, lifting their glasses as well.

Dorothy stepped out of the taxi that had taken her from the bus station to the hospital. She hadn't wanted to go to the house knowing that no one would be there so she went directly to the hospital.

As she walked through the main entrance, her heart gave a painful squeeze at the thought that she knew right where to go with out having to ask the woman behind the receptionist's desk. She rode the elevator up to the then third floor then took a left. Heero's room was the second door on her right.

The door was open, and when she peeked in, she was surprised to find that neither her father nor stepmother were in there.

"Heero?" she called softly her heart aching at the idea that she was too late.

"Dorothy?" the voice that called back was soft and questioning.

Feeling the squeeze lighten a bit, she made her way deeper into the room. She left her rolling suitcase near the door, in a place where it wasn't likely for any one to stumble over it then stepped up to the hospital bed.

The boys' room was decorated with get-well-soon cards and momentos from home. His bed had been draped in a colorful afghan that Linda had crocheted from various shades of blue yarn a few years back and a large flat stuffed dog that Heero at the age of six had dubbed "pillow-pooch" 1 lay next to his other pillow.

"Hey" She said softly. "Where's Linda and dad?"

"Getting coffee." He replied weakly, shifting in the small bed, so that he was sitting up more. The pajama top he was wearing shifted slightly to reveal a pale thin shoulder. Several wires trailed out through the neck opening to connect the one of the many machines that filled the small room.

"How're you feeling?" She asked, it was a common question.

"Not too bad." A common response.

"He's eating better now." A deep, warm voice said from the doorway.

"Daddy!" Dorothy called hurrying over to give the tall blond man a hug. She noticed Linda standing just behind him and moved to hug her as well. Despite the weariness that plagued her face, Dorothy still thought that her stepmother was a stunningly beautiful woman, with her glossy honey-blond hair and green eyes. Dorothy had often wondered where Heero got his eyes, when it was obvious that his father was of Asian descent.

"Why didn't I get a hug?" Heero called in a teasing tone. He hated being alone, and though his family was in the room, he couldn't see them with the curtain closed.

Dorothy chuckled lightly and made her way back to the bed, she leaned down giving him a gentle hug.

"There" she said smiling down at him. He pouted.

"That was weak." He said, pretending to be hurt. Dorothy rolled her eyes and leaned down again, this time she made sure to give him a good hard squeeze.

"Better?" Dorothy asked.

"A little" He replied, a small smile playing on his lips.

"You're hopeless!" Dorothy wailed in mock frustration.

"You have to practically squeeze until his head pops off before he's satisfied." Odin chuckled taking his usual seat. Smiling Dorothy plopped down on her dads' lap so Linda could have the other chair. The family spent the evening chatting and catching up on all that Dorothy had missed.

She hadn't been able to visit for nearly a month due to finals at school. Her mother, though understanding of the situation, felt that Dorothy should at least finish the school year before going off to visit again. At least with the school year over, Dorothy could stay longer then her usual day and a half.

They shared a light meal and Dorothy was pleased to see that Heero had indeed gained a bit more of an appetite then he had had the last time she had been to see him. After supper, Heero dozed off so Odin called it a night. He made sure that the nurses knew to tell Heero that they had gone home for the night.

The boy tended to get agitated if left alone for too long, if they were home and he needed to talk, he had the option to call no matter what time it was. It made him feel better knowing that they were all just a phone call away.

The ward was quiet, the third shift nurses had just finished their rounds and were reporting in any new information on the patients under their care. The resident Physician was standing at the nurses' station going over a patient's chart while the head nurse sat at the computer logging in the new information brought to her by her nurses.

It was nearly two in the morning when an emergency alarm sounded through the ward. The doctor and head nurse rushed to room 4 where the alarm was originating.

The patient was in full cardiac arrest.

The steady ringing of the phone drew the groggy Odin out of a sound sleep, fumbling slightly he managed to switch on the light before answering the phone.

"Hello?" he asked his voice still soft from sleep.

"Mr. Lowe?" A weary yet familiar voice asked.

"Yes?" Odin replied now suddenly quite wide-awake.

"This is Dr. Harrison Perkins." Odin's stomach clenched "We need you to come down to the hospital."

"Alright, we'll be there in ten minutes." They said a quick goodbye, and then Odin turned to wake his wife. Less then five minutes later they were dressed and on the way to the hospital.

Dorothy clung to her fathers' hand while they were in the lounge waiting for the doctor to come and speak with them.

They didn't have to wait long. The kindly looking doctor knocked gently before entering. He crouched down so that he was eye level with the family and offered a small smile to Dorothy before turning his attention to her parents.

"Heero had a heart attack about a half an hour ago. He went into cardiac arrest, we managed to pull him through, but he's very weak now. It won't be long, I'm sorry." Linda choked back a sob and buried her face in Dorothy's hair.

"H…how long?" Odin asked.

The doctor sighed, shaking his head in a negative manner. "A week, at the most."

Odin nodded sadly and turned to his wife and daughter.

"I'll leave you alone. When you feel ready you can go see him." The doctor stood, and after one final sad glance at the family, who were by now; all clinging to each other, he left the room.

Odin had leaned in; his long arms wrapped around the two most important women in his life. It was several long moments later before any of them felt composed enough to leave the room.

The family was subdued, as they stood at Heero's bedside looking down.

Heero was very pale, and looked much more fragile then he had earlier that night. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth and some bruising caused by the doctor's resuscitation efforts were clearly visible on the boys' now bare chest.

Sniffling Linda pulled the afghan up to Heero's chin then leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead before taking his chilled hand in hers and sitting down in her usual chair.

The large lounge chair that folded out into a sleeper was made up into a somewhat comfortable bed where Odin insisted that Dorothy lay down and try to get a bit more sleep. Dorothy doubted that she would fall asleep but with the small comfort that she was in the same room with Heero she managed a few hours.

When she woke she noticed that her dad wasn't there and Linda was bent forward, resting her head on Heero's bed dozing gently. Dorothy stood and made her way to her stepmother shaking the woman softly to wake her.

"Huh?" Linda mumbled sitting up and blinking her large eyes.

"Hey, I'm up now, why don't you lay down for a bit. I'll sit with him for a while." Linda glanced down at Heero a sighed sadly, she could almost pretend that he would wake up soon smiling. She nodded in answer to Dorothy's suggestion then went over to the makeshift bed and lay down.

When Dorothy was sure that Linda was asleep, she picked up the phone and dialed a number that she knew by heart. It was lucky that Johnston was close enough to Rowing that there were no long distance charges.

"Hullo?" the voice that answered was quiet and a bit scratchy from sleep.

"Duo?"

"Oh, Thea. Hey." Duo said rubbing his eyes. He turned to look at the clock; the large red LCD numbers flashed 6:47 am.

"Hi Duo, sorry to wake you, it's just that Linda's sleeping and I'm not sure where dad is." She whispered, feeling very alone.

"It's okay, like I said yesterday. You can call me whenever you need too, even if it's three in the morning." Duo told her gently whilst sitting up more comfortably.

"Thanks." She said softly

"So what's going on? Wanna talk about it?" He heard the girl sigh sadly.

"Heero had a heart attack last night and his heart stopped. The doctor got it stared again but… he's so weak no….now. He hasn't even woken up yet."

"Oh Thea…"Duo breathed. "I'm so sorry"

"He…" Her voice wavered for a moment "The doctor doesn't think he'll last much longer. I'm going to loose him I…I'm so scared." She finished in a pained whisper.

"Do you need me? Solo's mom is letting us use the car today. I'm sure she'll let us drive up. We can be there for you." Duo's voice was filled with concern.

"Duo I don't…" she began hesitantly.

"Do you need us?" Duo interrupted "Just say 'yes' and we'll be there today, even if we have to take the bus. Hell I'm sure we could all come up but I don't think having seven of us there would be a good idea."

Dorothy choked back a sob. "Yes. Please Duo I… I don't think I'm much comfort to them right now."

Duo scoffed. "Just you being there is a comfort to them. I know it as sure as my name is Duo Maxwell."

"But your name isn't Duo." Dorothy teased a bit of a laugh in her voice. "It's Duane." She could hear the braided boy grumbling under his breath. He hated being called Duane.

"Listen, Thea." Duo began. "Let me get dressed and I'll go talk to Solo. Call me back here in say…" He paused to glance at the clock again. "Umm…about an hour and a half."

Dorothy noted the time. "Okay, around eight thirty." She agreed.

"Talk to ya then." Duo said in place of good-bye and hung up the phone.

Duo jumped up from bed, shucking his sleep shirt and boxers making a dash to the bathroom and rushing through his morning routine. Skipping the hair washing he managed to knock about fifteen minutes off of his usual half and hour.

Once Duo was washed, dressed and brushed he hurried down to the kitchen, wolfing down a plain bagel and a glass of orange juice he threw a "see ya later mom" over his shoulder before dashing into the back yard and hopping the fence into the next one.

Duo and Solo had lived next to each other their whole lives. It was just easier to jump the fence and throw rocks then it was to walk the long way around to the front of the house and knock.

He stood under his friends' window and chucked a rock at the shingles next to the boys' bedroom window. The rock made a solid thunk and a moment later Solo was popping his head outside.

"What are you doing here so early? I thought we were hitting the mall this afternoon?" The brown-eyed blond called down with a confused expression.

"Dorothy called." Duo said as an explanation.

Solo nodded in complete understanding "I'll be down in ten." He said turning back into his room.

Duo took a seat on the tire-swing in the old swing-set that they used to play on when they were younger and waited for his friend to get dressed or whatever he did first in the morning.

It was at least fifteen minutes later before Duo threw another stone. He used to throw them to hit the glass but after breaking three windows, he made sure to hit the side of the house instead.

"Solo! C'mon. We're gonna be late!" Duo shouted.

"Yeah, yeah, Max. Hold on a sec, I ain't go'in anywhere in the nude, let me get dressed first!"

"Heh, I bet Crisy'd love to see you in the nude!" Duo's teasing comment had the desired affect and his best friend turned beet red.

"Asshole!" the blond shouted down to his longhaired friend.

"EDWARD MICHAEL SOLOVAN JR., WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!" Mrs. Solovan shouted from the hallway. Duo burst out laughing.

"Sorry, mum!" Solo shouted back, then threw the violet-eyed boy a glare.

"Just wait 'til I get my hands on you, Duane." He hissed before closing the window.

Duo groaned, he hated to be called by his given name.

Solo's mother had given them a few errands to run before they could go to Rowing to be with Dorothy.

They decided to wait until after Dorothy called before they did anything else, that way they could make sure they didn't miss the call.

They both spoke to her, explaining the plans of the day. The pair expected to arrive in Rowing by about three in the afternoon.

They left to run Mrs. Solovan's errands at about nine am.

It was a busy morning, there were kids everywhere and the stores were crowded. If they didn't hurry they would be late leaving the city. Rushed they got everything done as fast as they could.

They never saw the kid as she darted out into the street after her dog; not until it was too late. Solo swerved narrowly missing the child only to collide head on with an on coming car.

Neither boy felt the crash, in an instant it was over. Duo woke up in the hospital eleven days later.

Solo never woke up again.

Brain dead, that's what the doctors told Solo's mother. The life support machines were the only things keeping him alive. Pull the plug and let him go. She did.

'Solo', Edward Michael Solovan Jr. died on June 19th at the age of 17.

On June 19th, Heero Yuy age 15, began to live.

Tbc…

Mawhahahahahaahaha! Now that's one hell of a cliffhanger!

1 Pillow-Pooch is mine, he's a big brown stuffed dog that I have had ever since I was a little girl and to this day I still use him as a pillow. And the afghan is not mine, but it too exists. My friend spent over a year making a beautiful afghan of various shades of blue yarn as a gift for her husband.

Oh, Linda is the name of the woman whom Odin would have married in Naomi's Shattered Moments. I borrowed her with Naomi's blessing. If you haven't read it yet then I suggest you read it. points a sharpened pair of chopsticks at you

More notes. Okay when Dorothy's parents were divorced, she took her mother's last name so she is no longer a Lowe. And Odin, though married to Heero's mother he never adopted the boy, so Heero kept his dead father's last name thus leaving him a Yuy. Hope that clears things up for the folks who inquired about the names when I posted the old version a few years ago.

Tetralogy of Fallot: Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common heart defect in children. The condition causes mixing of oxygen-poor blood with the oxygen-rich blood being pumped out of the heart and into the circulatory system of blood vessels.

The blood leaving the heart has less oxygen than is needed by the organs and tissues of the body, a condition called hypoxemia.

Chronic (ongoing, long-term) lack of oxygen causes cyanosis, a bluish color of the skin, lips, and membranes inside the mouth and nose.

The 4 abnormalities (tetralogy) of the heart described by Fallot include the following:

Right ventricular hypertrophy: Narrowing or blockage of the pulmonary valve and/or muscle under the pulmonary valve coming out of the right ventricle. This restriction to blood outflow causes an increase in right ventricular work and pressure, leading to right ventricular thickening or hypertrophy.

Ventricular septal defect (VSD): This is a hole in the heart wall (septum) that separates the 2 ventricles. The hole is usually large and allows oxygen-poor blood in the right ventricle to pass through, mixing with oxygen-rich blood in the left ventricle. This poorly oxygenated blood is then pumped out of the left ventricle to the rest of the body. The body gets some oxygen, but not all that it needs. This lack of oxygen in the blood causes cyanosis.

Abnormal position of the aorta: The aorta, the main artery carrying blood out of the heart and into the circulatory system, exits the heart from a position overriding the right and left ventricles. (In the normal heart, the aorta exits from the left ventricle.) This is not of major importance in infants.

Pulmonary valve stenosis (PS): The major issue with tetralogy of Fallot is the degree of pulmonary valve stenosis, since VSD is always present. If the stenosis is mild, minimal cyanosis occurs, since blood still mostly travels to the lungs. However, if the PS is moderate to severe, a smaller amount of blood reaches the lungs, since most is shunted right-to-left through the VSD.

Tetralogy of Fallot accounts for 10-15 of all congenital (newborn) heart defects. Infants with this abnormality develop signs of the condition very early in life.

Tetralogy of Fallot Causes

Tetralogy of Fallot occurs during development of the fetus, before birth, and is therefore termed a congenital birth defect. An error occurs as the fetal heart separates into the chambers, valves, and other structures that make up the normal human heart. No one is really sure why this error occurs.

Tetralogy of Fallot Symptoms

Most infants with tetralogy of Fallot develop cyanosis in the first year of life.

The skin, lips, and mucous membranes inside the mouth and nose take on a noticeably dusky blue color.

Only some infants with very severe obstruction of the right ventricle outflow turn blue at birth.

A small number of children with tetralogy of Fallot never turn blue at all, especially if the pulmonary stenosis is mild, the ventricular septal defect is small, or both.

In some children, the cyanosis is quite subtle and may go undetected for some time.

The following symptoms suggest tetralogy of Fallot:

Growth and development are slower, especially if the pulmonary stenosis is severe. Puberty may be delayed if the tetralogy is untreated.

The child usually tires easily and begins panting with any form of exertion. He or she may play for only a short time before sitting or lying down.

Once able to walk, the child often assumes a squatting position to catch his or her breath and then resumes physical activity. Squatting increases the pressure transiently in the aorta and left ventricle, causing less blood to move into the left ventricle, more out the pulmonary artery to the lungs.

Episodes of extreme blue coloring (called hypercyanosis or simply "tet spells") occur in many children, usually in the first 2-3 years of life.

The child suddenly becomes blue, has difficulty breathing, and may become extremely irritable or even faint.

Up to 20-70 of children with tetralogy of Fallot experience these spells.

The spells often happen during feeding, crying, straining, or on awakening in the morning.

Spells can last from a few minutes to a few hours.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Heero's Heart (revised)

Title: A Shared Heart (revised)

Author: Vega-Lume

Beta: Krista

Disclaimer: I don't own the boys; I just like to play with them. (hee hee) and I do promise to put them back when I am done. (has fingers crossed behind her back)

Warning: Angst (duh), A/U, and my sorry attempts at humor.

Pairings: 2x1, 3x4x3, and 5xSally

Please read the notes at the end.

Hugs to Krista for the wonderful beta job!

For Naomi, who even though she retired from the fandom, will always be considered my friend.

A Shared Heart Chapter 2

By Vel

Deep blue eyes slithered open just as Dorothy placed the phone back on the table after talking with Duo for the second time. Sighing, Dorothy turned her gaze toward her stepmother who seemed to be sleeping rather fitfully. She rose to comfort the woman only to stop when a chilled hand came to rest on her arm.

"Heero…" she breathed. The boy looked up at her with a weary expression. "Are you okay? Do you need something?" His lips moved but no sound came forth. Leaning down so her ear was nearly touching the oxygen mask, she strained to hear him.

"My chest hurts." He managed to rasp out again, his voice sounding nearly breathless.

"I'll get a nurse," she said turning towards the door just in time to see her father walk in holding a tray of insulated foam cups.

"Dad!" She nearly shouted. "He's awake, he says his chest hurts." Odin nodded and hurried off to find a nurse.

Linda, roused by Dorothy's exclamation had all but flown from the chair to her son's bedside.

"Hi, sweetie." She said softly, running a tender hand through his messy hair. He was still very pale and his lips had a faint blue tint. Before anymore could be said Dr Perkins and a nurse appeared checking over Heero's vitals and administering a painkiller for the pain in his chest. The damage caused by the resuscitation had caused deep bruising of the muscles across his ribs making it painful to breathe.

Dorothy stood towards the back of the room while the hospital staff and her parents fussed over her brother. Heero seemed too weak to care what they did to him and looked more then ready to go back to sleep when the painkillers began to kick in.

Though she feared that he might never wake up if he went back to sleep, Linda helped her son settle in bytugging the afghan up to the boys' chin and watching as he drifted into a light slumber.

Heero seemed to drift in and out of consciousness over the next few hours. The three took turns watching over him so that someone was always there whenever he opened his eyes.

At around noon Odin gave Dorothy ten dollars and sent her off to get something to eat at the café that was across the street from the Hospital.

When the young blond woman returned she was shocked to see Heero's room teeming with activity. There were doctors everywhere_, _and her Dad was standing over by the nurse's station talking with Heero's regular doctor, while Linda stayed in the room with Heero.

The doctors seemed to getting ready to move him.

Dorothy ran towards the nurse's station and panted, "What's going on?"

Odin beamed at her. "Heero got a heart;"He crowed lifting her up and spinning her once before setting her back down, " The doctors are getting him ready for surgery." He seemed to deflate after he was done speaking and Dorothy could see the myriad of expressions fly across his face; relief, hope, anxiety, and above all fear. She could understand why. Though a heart had been found he might not survive the operation.

The doctor cleared his throat, and both Odin and Dorothy gave him their undivided attention.

"The operation should go well. Though Heero is very weak now, his regaining consciousness is very good sign of how strong he is.The heart I am told is only forty-five minutes away and should be just about the right size. We're taking him to pre-op now and we'll be administering the immunosuppressants 1, you'll be able to see him for a moment before he's taken in for the actual surgery,"

Taking her father's hand, Dorothy followed him to Heero's room. He had been changed into a hospital gown and moved to a gurney rather then wheeling his comfortable bed to the operating room.

"Hello, my boy. How are you holding up?" Doctor Perkins asked placing a gentle hand on Heero's shoulder. Heero flashed a tired smile at the man and gave him the thumbs up.

"You heard the man!" Doctor Perkins beamed "Let's go." Linda leaned down placing several kisses on her son's face, as the gurney was wheeled past, both Odin and Dorothy gave him kisses and reassuring touches as well.

After Heero was taken away by the doctors and nurses, Odin stepped across the room and pulled his wife into a tender embrace. "He'll be fine," He whispered into her ear "He'll be fine…"

"Ma'am?" Caroline Solovan raised tear-filled eyes up from the battered and bandaged form of her son. "My name is Doctor Amelia Rosewood."

Mrs. Solovan accepted the doctors offered hand shaking it gently.

"I'm sorry; we have done every test I could think off. There's nothing we can do."

"Wh…What do you mean?" She whispered

"I'm afraid that he's not going to pull through." The doctorsaid her face bearing that almost neutral expression that doctor's rely on when they have to give bad news.

"Oh God no!" She sobbed clinging to the doctors' white lab coat. After several long moments the doctor spoke again.

"I know that this is very hard for you, but have you ever given a thought to organ donation? There are many people, children included that would benefit greatly from this decision."

Wiping her eyes with a tissue Caroline nodded. "Do it, I know that that is what he would have wanted."

Smiling kindly Dr. Rosewood placed a gentle hand on the grieving woman's shoulder.

"I'll give you a few moments. A nurse will come and take him to the OR. After the operation he will be closed up and thoroughly cleaned. You can then have whomever you have made arrangements with come by to collect him. If you need more time we can keep him here for a few days." The doctor said gently, her hand resting softly on the devastated mother's shoulder.

Caroline nodded clutching her son's coat to her chest. A male nurse had brought Solo's personal effects to her while Dr. Rosewood was explaining what would happen after the operation.

"If you need help finding a reputable funeral home, the head nurse will be able to give you a list."

Caroline nodded. Dr Rosewood then turned to the nurse that had brought in Solo's things and spoke to him in a hushed tone. The man nodded and stepped over to Caroline.

"I'll wait right out side, take a few moments. When you are done I will take you through to a waiting room and grab that list for you. There's a phone in the room feel free to use it as long as you need to."

With a gentle touch to the woman's shoulder he turned back to Dr. Rosewood and the pair left the room, closing the door softly behind them.

Still clutching the jacket, Caroline approached her son. Closing her eyes in effort to remember the way he was, she placed a hand over his strongly beating heart and said her final good-byes…

"He's ready. The heart is still in transit so you have about ten minutes. The pre-op drugs have already been administered so he's going to be very groggy."

Linda thanked the doctor tears steaming down her cheeks.

Dr. Perkins smiled at her patting her shoulder reassuringly. "He's a strong boy. One of the strongest boys', that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He has an excellent chance of making a full recovery."

"Doctor?" Dr. Perkins turned to a young nurse that was leaning out of the pre-op door.

"Yes, Melissa?"

"The heart just arrived." She said with a smile.

"Right," Dr Perkins said firmly." Okay he is just through there. Take a moment to visit, and when the heart's ready a nurse will show you to the waiting room."

Linda raised a beckoning hand so that Odin and Dorothy knew to come over. The pair rose from where they were seated and joined Linda and Dr. Perkins.

"I'm going to scrub up. When the operation is done I'll come and find you, alright?"

"Yes, Doctor. Thank you for all that you have done for us." Odin said shaking the other man's hand.

"My pleasure. Now if you'll excuse me…" Dorothy threw her arms around the doctors' shoulders whispering her thanks as well. Smiling Dr. Perkins patted the young woman's back. He had known Dorothy for several years now, and had seen her grow from a gangly skinny child into the beautiful young woman she was today.

"Now, now dear, go be with you dad and step-mom. You can hug me all you want when I see you again."

Smiling she let go and joined her parents, who had already gone into the pre-op room.

Heero lay on the gurney, his hair covered in a cloth cap. A tube that was placed beneath his nose had replaced his oxygen mask.

His eyes were barely open but it was clear that he was awake. His hand was patting his mother's gently as Linda rested her cheek against his.

"We'll all be right here when you wake up." Linda said softly.

Heero closed his eyes, a faint smile gracing his lips. Not much more was said after that as Melissa stepped in.

"It's time," was all she said, and began unlocking the wheels on the gurney.

After placing a few more kisses on Heero's face the family watched, as its youngest member was rolled into the operating room.

Once Heero was gone, another nurse named Beth came to take them to the waiting room. Smiling gently she left the family alone.

"Linda, Dorothy, come here please?" The two women nodded at Odin and joined him where he sat on a long sofa. Grasping the women's hands he closed his eyes.

"Our Father, thou art in Heaven. Hallowed be thy name…"

"Hello?"

"Midge?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"It's Caroline, Edward's mother."

"Edward…"

"His friends call him Solo."

"Oh yes, Caroline. I remember you; we met at the community picnic last year, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"What can I do for you?"

"There was an accident. Duane and Edward were hurt." It took a moment for Midge to place faces with the names. It clicked that she had meant 'Duo and Solo'

"My son died…"

"Oh God Caroline, I'm so sorry."

"D… Dorothy needs to be told. And I don't have the numbers for their other friends could you please…"

"Of course I could call them or get them for you. Where are you, which hospital?"

"Both Helen and I are at the University hospital. Midge?"

"Yes?"

"I need a ride, do you think, I mean could you…"

"I'll come as soon as I can." After saying good-bye Midge hung up and dialed another number.

The phone rang several times before an answering machine picked up.

"Hello, you have reached the Lowe residence…" Linda's sweet voice stated, "…we're not home right now so please leave your name, number and a time to call back and we'll call you just as soon as we can. Bye!"

There was a faint click just before a long beep.

"Dorothy, it's mom I need you to call me right away." Midge hung up, sighing. She had no idea when they would get home and she needed to speak with her daughter now.

Grabbing her address book she flipped a few pages until she found the one she was looking for.

'Heero: Primary Children's Hospital room C-4' the full address and phone number were listed beneath Heero's name.

Lifting the receiver, Midge dialed the number.

"Primary Children's this is Rosy speaking. How may I direct your call?"

"Yes, I need Heero Yuy's room, C-4."

"One moment please…" Midge could hear the sound of typing drift over the phone line. "I'm sorry ma'am but that patient's room is unavailable at this time. If you would like you can leave a message with me and I'll see that his family gets it."

"Yes, thank you. My name is Midge Catalonia. My daughter Dorothy is Heero's stepsister. She's there visiting. The message is 'Call mom as soon as possible.' "

There was a pause on the line as Rosy wrote down the message. "Alright, Ms. Catalonia, I'll see to it that Dorothy gets the message."

"Thank you Miss." Midge replied.

"Is there any thing else I can do for you?" Rosy asked.

"No. Thank you. Good-bye." Midge answered. Sighing, she rubbed at her temples, trying to fend off the migraine that was creeping around her eyes.

How on Earth was she to tell her daughter that one of her closest friends was dead?

"How are you holding up kiddo?" Dr. Perkins asked from behind his sanitary mask.

"Alright…" Heero's soft voice said drowsily.

Dr Perkins nodded to the anesthesiologist, who leaned forward placing a mask over the youths' nose and mouth.

"Okay, breathe in deeply then count back from ten."

Heero did what he was asked and inhaled deeply. "Ten, nine, eight, s…seven, si…x…"

"He's out doctor." Melissa said.

Nodding, Dr Perkins moved to the side of the table and lifted the thin blanket away with a gloved hand, revealing Heero's bare chest.

After swabbing the entire surface of the boy's scared chest 2 with a strong antiseptic he turned to Melissa.

"Scalpel…"

T.B.C.

Mawahahaha!

Vel's Note:

1 To prevent rejection, patients receive immunosuppressants, drugs that suppress the immune system so that the new organ(s) is not damaged. Because rejection can occur anytime after a transplant, immunosuppressive drugs are given to patients the day of or before their transplant and thereafter for the rest of their lives.

2 Heero's chest is scared because with his condition he would have had corrective surgery at least once in his life. From my research it would have been more like four or five times before he had even reached the age of six. At this time I am not sure how much I will elaborate on Heero's past so this note is just a heads up for the curious.

Okay I know squat about operations and such, just what I've seen on the TV so I kinda went with the stereotypical view of how operations appear on shows like ER. Open heart surgery is pretty nasty stuff with 10 inch long incisions and rib spreaders shudders so I didn't elaborate.

Beta's note

I watch the Discovery Channel and operations on the Learning Channel, so I've seen open heart surgery. The part that gets me is when they crack the ribs with the spreader. It's a wet sound indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: A Shared Heart (revised)

Title: A Shared Heart (revised)

Author: Vega-Lume

Beta: Krista

Disclaimer: I don't own the boys; I just like to play with them. (hee hee) and I do promise to put them back when I am done. (has fingers crossed behind her back)

Warning: Angst (duh), A/U, and my sorry attempts at humor.

Pairings: 2x1, 3x4x3, and 5xSally

Archive: media miner

Please read the notes at the end.

Hugs to Krista for the wonderful beta job!

For Naomi, even though retired from the fandom, she will always be considered my friend.

A Shared Heart chapter 3

By Vel

The nurse, Melissa; raised a cloth to the doctor's forehead to wipe away the sweat that had gathered there. She held her breath as Dr. Perkins removed a clamp from inside the boys' chest.

"Suction." Dr Perkins said softly and the nurse lowered the suction tube and removed the excess fluid. They had been in the operating room for over four hours already and the doctor had just finished reconnecting the blood flow to the new heart. Once the last clamp was removed, they would know if the operation had been successful or not.

Once the fluid had been suctioned away the doctor reached down and removed another clamp.

"Excuse me? Are you the family of Heero Yuy?" A young unfamiliar nurse asked quietly from the waiting room doorway.

"Yes, we are." Odin replied, smiling gently at the young woman.

"I have a message for…" She paused to read the name on the post-it note "…Dorothy."

"I'm Dorothy." The blond girl stated, reaching a hand out for the note. Smiling the nurse handed the girl the piece of yellow paper then, after nodding to Odin and Linda she left the room.

"What does it say?" Linda asked after Dorothy had read the message.

"Mom wants me to call as soon as possible."

Sitting near the phone, Dorothy lifted the recover and dialed her home number. The phone rang twice before her mother answered.

"Hello?" A weary voice answered.

"Mom, it's me. What's going on?" Dorothy asked anxiously and heard her mother sigh deeply.

"Honey, I….I don't know how to say this but…" Suddenly worried, Dorothy shot her father a pleading look. Rising Odin moved across the room and sat next to his daughter.

"There was an accident…" Her mother continued. "Solo and Duo were hurt." Squeezing her father's hand tightly she waited for the rest of the information.

"Solo…..Solo, baby, he didn't make it, I'm so sorry honey." Shaking her head in the shock, Dorothy let the phone slip from her hand. It clattered loudly to the floor startling Linda who had been reading an old magazine

"What's wrong?" she asked in a worried tone, discarding the magazine on a small table and getting up to walk over.

"I don't know." Odin replied, before picking the phone up off of the floor. "Midge?" He inquired hesitantly.

"Hello Odin, I know you and your wife are going through a lot right now, but two of Dorothy's friend's were in a car accident today one of them died. I didn't want to have to tell her over the phone but I felt she needed to know." She sounded so tired.

"Gods," He breathed "Who?'

"Helen's boy Duo and Caroline's son Solo." She replied in a shaky voice. Just saying their nicknames was painful.

"Which… who?" He swallowed hard to keep from crying. He knew these boys. They had practically lived in their home when he and Midge had been married.

"Solo," She sniffled then continued "I'm going to the hospital soon to pick up Helen and Caroline, Joe is away I'm going to see if Helen wants to stay with me until he gets back."

"I'll take care of Dorothy tonight. After we get some rest I'll drive her back tomorrow." Odin said softly, leaning as far as the phone cord allowed so he could reach his daughter on the other side of the small table. Unable to do much more then rubbing calming circles on her sobbing her back, from his awkward position.

"I appreciate that, but you might as well keep her until Monday. Things are going to be stressful and I think it would be better if she didn't have to see their mothers just now; there is a chance that Caroline will stay here with me too. Solo's funeral is on Tuesday. Get some rest, and tell her she can call home any time she needs too." Midge said sadly, her voice scratchy from crying.

"I'll tell her. How is Duo doing?" he asked with his heart clenching at the sight of his daughter's anguished expression. Linda was cradling the girl in her arms gently rocking her from side to side making some soothing noises that didn't really seem to help.

"He's in a coma. His doctors are optimistic." The pair said their good-byes and Odin returned the phone to its proper place. He rose from the soft chair to join his family on the other side of the room where Linda was seated in a small chair with Dorothy on her lap. Not wanting to repeat aloud what he had learned he instead leaned in closely to his wife's ear and whispered to her what had been said on the phone. Then he sat on the edge of the small table unconcerned about the magazines beneath him and wrapped his arms around both women rocking with them.

"Sponge" Dr. Perkins said softly and Melissa passed him a sponge. He dabbed around the sutures, checking the sponge periodically for any seepage from the newly placed sutures, and then he reached for the final clamp.

As he lifted the clamp away, Melissa suctioned out the chest cavity then they waited, watching the new heart. It seemed as if years had passed before the first weak beat.

A loud whooping cheer sounded through the operating room as the beat was followed by another then another. Each beat getting stronger and steadier.

"Good job kiddo…" Perhaps Dr. Perkins said smiling behind his mask. "Lets close him up."

"Helen?" The teary-eyed redhead who had been standing near the nurses' station turned to see a familiar blond woman standing a few feet away. Dorothy's mother and gone straight to the hospital after speaking to her daughter.

"Oh Midge…" she sobbed turning to cling to her friend. "My baby, my poor baby…" she whimpered against the slightly older woman's shoulder. Her tears dampening Midge's blouse, as the other woman's arms closed around her tightly.

"Shh…" Midge hushed, rubbing a soothing hand up and down her friends' spine. "Honey, where's Caroline?"

"Sh…she's in the waiting room." Helen hiccupped then sniffled wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

Midge ushered Helen over to a soft chair and handed her a box of Kleenex. "I'm going to go find Caroline, and then we're going home for the night, alright?"

"Oh no, I can't go. I can't leave him here alone!" Helen cried in horror at that statement for even proposing to leave her baby alone.

"Listen honey, I talked to his nurse downstairs, she said that you can't see him again until tomorrow. You can't sit here all night. Come on home with Caroline and I. You can stay at my place and I'll drive you back in the morning." She said softly, her hand kneading the other woman's shoulder.

Helen looked torn. She knew that the doctors would not let her see Duo until the morning but she really didn't want to leave him alone.

"Alright, I'll wait here." Helen seemed to deflate, she could understand the logic of what Midge had said, but her heart didn't care about logic.

Midge smiled and patted her friends shoulder. "I'll be right back." She turned away then and motioned to a passing nurse. She asked the woman where the waiting room was.

She found the room with little difficulty. Caroline sat dry-eyed on a green sofa, a bright red jacket bearing the local high schools mascot clutched in her white-knuckled hands.

"Caroline?" Midge queried softly. The grieving woman twitched at the unexpected sound of her friends' voice yet her head stayed bowed.

"I very much want to hurt someone right now." The brunette whispered gravely, her green eyes blood shot from the tears she had shed.

"I can't tell you that everything will be alright, that would be a lie but I can tell you it will get easier."

"How could you possibly know that? Your daughter is still alive." She snapped her grief projecting as anger.

Midge sighed and crossed the room so she could sit near the other woman.

"That is true, Dorothy is still alive but I have lost people I love. I practically raised my little brother for six years after our daddy died when I was seventeen. He was only nine at the time; he was hit by a truck while riding his bike to school. That was less then a week before his sixteenth birthday." Her voice had begun to sound strained having to relive such a painful time in her life. But she knew that if it helped Caroline then the pain would be worth it.

"I… I'm sorry Midge, I didn't know." Caroline said sadly, the anger she felt now bleeding away.

"Not many people do," Midge replied after taking a calming breath. She couldn't break down yet. Her friends needed her strength right now. "Dorothy was barely two at the time. She doesn't remember him well."

Tears began streaming down Caroline cheeks. "How… how do I get through this?" she sobbed burying her face in Solo's jacket.

Kneeling on the floor, Midge gathered the other woman into a hug, tucking Caroline's head beneath her chin a rocking her trembling frame.

"Day by day, dear. Day by day." She rapidly blinked away her own tears. Those were the last words her daddy had ever spoken to her, and she knew that even though they didn't sound like much now, they were true.

"Excuse me." A nurse called softly she stepped into the family waiting room. Odin raised his tired eyes from his daughters sleeping face.

"Doctor Perkins would like to see you in his office."

Odin and Linda shared a look before Odin said. "Go on, I'll wake Dorothy and meet you there." They had moved Dorothy to Odin's lap after she had fallen asleep.

Nodding, Linda leaned down and kissed her husband then followed the nurse out of the room.

"Thea, honey. The nurse was here, Doc Perkins wants to see us." He called softly, stroking her cheek with his knuckles.

Instantly awake Dorothy rubbed the sleep from her eyes then slid from her fathers lap. After Odin regained some of the circulation in his legs the pair headed to Dr. Perkins office.

They arrived just a few moments after Linda and took their seats near the kind doctor's desk. Dr. Perkins smiled in greeting then began.

"The surgery went very well. The new heart was nearly perfect in size. As I discussed with you before Heero will be heavily sedated for at least forty-eight hours. He will stay in the pediatric ICU for the next two weeks and then in the general pediatric unit for another few days. If all goes well he should be able to go home in about a month." He beamed at them, and his smile softened the firm tone of his voice.

Linda and Odin nodded they had been prepared for this for years and knew 80 of what to expect for the next month. A hundred different things could go wrong at any given time but with Dr. Perkins' assurance that the operation had gone well and knowing that this man knew their son almost as well as they did they felt relieved that Heero was getting the best care possible.

"When can we see him?" Odin asked holding tightly to his wife's hand while he wrapped his free arm across Dorothy's shoulders.

"The nurse needs to observe him for the next half an hour to insure that the meds are working properly, so for now you can each see him one at a time for a few moments. I know that hospital policy says that no minor is allowed in ICU after hours but I'll accompany Dorothy myself." He smiled at the girl but was a bit alarmed; she didn't seem as thrilled with the news on her brother as her parents were.

"Dear, are you alright?" the Dr. inquired frowning in concern.

"I'm sorry," Odin interjected giving the girl a reassuring squeeze "She received some bad news from home while you were in surgery." The Dr. nodded the stood to place a comforting hand on the girls' shoulder.

"Come, let's go see Heero. Okay?" Dorothy smiled sadly at the gentle Dr. and allowed herself to be guided out of the office to Heero's room.

When they arrived a nurse greeted them and gave them sanitary clothing. After they were dressed, the nurse led Linda in first. They passed another patient before the reached Heero's bed.

The boy was lying flat on his back, wires and tubes seemed to be attached everywhere. His eyes were taped closed and an intubation tube was protruding from his mouth helping him to breathe.

"Oh honey…" Linda breathed, reaching a hand out to touch his hair, she sent the nurse a questioning look and received a nod before she actually touched the silky chocolate strands.

There was no reaction but that was to be expected, the whole family knew that he wouldn't really be conscious for another day or so. As with all other transplant recipients Heero would be basically paralyzed to limit all movement that way there is no added stress on his chest and ribcage while they healed.

Her finger trailed down to his cheek feeling the clammy skin. She wanted to cry, he looked so helpless just lying there. At this moment Linda wanted nothing more then to hold her son and never let go. She just stood there for a few moments drinking in his face. Her heart wanted to hope that everything would go perfectly but her mind kept telling her how things could still go so horribly wrong.

The nurse tapped her shoulder a minute later to tell her that her time was up. Linda sent the nurse a pleading look but only received a sad shake of the head in reply.

"I'm sorry." The nurse began softly "it's time for the rest of the family to see him."

Linda sighed sadly and sent on more longing look to her son before following the nurse back to the hallway.

Falling into her husband's arms she sniffled quietly fighting the flood of tears that were threatening to come.

"Doc, you and Dorothy go ahead. I'll go in last" Odin said, raising his arms and pulling his wife into a firm embrace.

"Of course." Dr, Perkins replied then ushered Dorothy into the ICU.

Dorothy felt dazed. She wanted to dance for joy now that Heero had the new heart he had always needed but she couldn't help but worry for Duo and Mrs. Solovan. She was hurting with the need to be both here and there. She knew that Heero would understand her wanting to be at her friends' side but her dad and stepmom needed her here. She wanted to go home and felt terrible for wanting it so much that Heero had become second on her priority list.

As she approached Heero's bed the flood of grief broke through again and she began sobbing uncontrollably. Alarmed, Dr. Perkins led her through to a small office in the back of the room and sat her down. Grabbing a box of Kleenex off of the desk he then crouched down in front of her and offered her the box.

"Dorothy dear, what's wrong? I know that this has to do with much more then just Heero."

The girl sniffled and blew her nose in a tissue.

"Ta… two of my friends were in an accident today. One of them d…d…died."

"Oh honey." The kindly man breathed and then pulled the girl to him. He ran a gentle hand over her shimmering blond hair as he rocked her gently.

"I…I want to go home." She whispered against his white coat.

"I understand dear. I completely understand." He soothed.

"Dad would hate me if I told him."

"Dorothy!" Dr. Perkins called in alarm, pulling back so that he could see her face "Odin would never hate you for wanting to be there for your friends, never."

"It's just… they need me here, Heero needs me too. But Duo's hurt and Solo's de…he's… Oh God." She fell against him and buried her face against his shoulder.

"Shhh, don't worry honey. I'll talk to Odin okay? I'll let him know how much you need to go home."

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Come on dear; let's go see your brother then I'll go talk to your dad."

"Okay" she blew her nose again

Through sheer power of will, Dorothy didn't break down again when she saw her brother lying there even though her imagination pasted Duo's face in place of Heero's. Again she was overcome with the want to go home.

"That's enough, dear." The doctor said gently, guiding her away from the bed. "This is too much for you now, let's go find your dad."

The grieving girl nodded and followed the kind man back to the hallway where her father waited.

"Odin, may I speak with you for a moment?"

"Sure doc." The other man replied then followed the doctor down the hall and into a different room.

"I spoke with Dorothy for a moment; she is feeling torn with the want to go home and the feeling of obligation to stay here for you and Heero."

"I can understand that, and I was going to take her home in the morning but her mother wants her to stay here until Monday. She thinks that the stressful situation would be too much for her now."

"May I make a suggestion then?" the doctor asked.

"Of course." Odin replied, looking attentive

"Why not drive Dorothy home for a few hours," He suggested "let her see her mother and the friend who is hurt, maybe get a few things of comfort from her room, then bring her back here."

"What about Heero and Lyn?" He asked in concern, Linda was stretched thin already. How much harder would it be on her if neither he nor Dorothy were here for support?

"She'll take care of Heero and I'll keep Linda company until you two return." The doc replied sincerely. He fully understood Odin's concern. But knowing that Heero would not be weaned off of the medication for at least another full day, Linda would basically be sitting with the boy. It wouldn't disrupt his schedule to take to woman for coffee or a bite to eat.

"Thanks doc." He replied gratefully. He had spent hours after the phone call, racking his brain on ways to help Dorothy through this.

"My pleasure Odin, now let's go see your son then you can head off to home and get some rest." Doc Perkins said gently guiding is friend to Heero's bedside.

Odin spent his whole visit whispering to Heero all of the things they had planned, the move to be closer to Dorothy, learning to ride a bike, even going to school for the first time in over eight years.

Then after an excruciatingly short amount of time it was time to leave.

The small family bid the doctor goodbye then gathered a few of their things from Heero's pre op room before heading home. They stopped off for take out on the way seeing how no one was in the mood to cook.

"Helen?" Midge called softly to wake the dozing woman

"Oh Midge, I'm sorry. I just feel so drained." Helen apologized shakily.

"That's quite alright dear. Caroline and I are ready to go."

"Oh, okay." She replied dejectedly. She wanted to stay but knew she had to go.

What was worrying her nearly as much as her sons' condition was the fact that Duo's father might not even know yet. He being an Airline pilot meant that he was most likely in the air when the accident happened. She had no idea if his superiors would tell him something that that while he had so many lives in his hands.

Still deep in thought she followed her friends out to Midge's car.

The meal spent at the Lowe home was quiet, each person lost in their own thoughts. Very little food was consumed when Dorothy announced that she was going to bed and after kissing her parents good night she went to her room.

"I'm worried about her." Linda said quietly, pushing some pasta around her plate with a fork. "I just don't know how to comfort her now when I'm barely coping myself."

"Don't worry dear, Doc Perkins gave me a suggestion and the more I think about it the better I like the idea."

"What did he suggest?" She asked in curiosity.

"He suggested I take her to visit her mother and her friend for a few hours and let her get some things that might make her feel better then bring her back here." Odin replied as he poked at his own barely touched meal.

"That's a wonderful idea. When do you plan to take her?" Linda was glad that someone had thought of such a simple way to help.

"Sometime in the late morning, that way we can get some rest, even in we don't get any sleep." Odin said, a bit surprised by his wife's enthusiasm.

Lynda smiled at her husband and rose form her chair so she could sit on his lap.

"Everything will be alright, won't it?" she asked in a voice that was tinged with fear.

"I would love to say yes, I really would. But you and I both know that could be a lie. I can tell you this though, no matter what happens, good or bad we'll get through it together."

"I love you." She breathed against his stubbled cheek. "So very much."

"With all my heart." He replied "Now go off to bed, I'll join you as soon as I put the food away and give Midge a call, letting her know we'll be there tomorrow."

"Would you like me to start a bath for you?" She asked as she slid from his lap.

"No thank you, I'll shower in the morning."

"Alright, hurry up to bed then." She gave him a soft kiss on the lips then left the room.

Sighing, Odin collected up the various cartons of hardly touched takeout and popped them into the fridge. Once the food had been situated he snagged the phone and dialed a number from memory.

"Hello?" a soft voice asked after three rings.

"Hi Midge, sorry if I woke you." His heart clenched, already feeling like a heel for bothering her so late.

"Oh no Odin, you didn't" The woman assured him "It's just been a very long day."

"I can fully understand that." He replied in sympathy.

"How is Dorothy doing?" from the background sounds on the phone, Odin guessed that she was moving through the house. His suspicions' were confirmed when he heard a door being softly closed.

Odin sighed sadly "She's taking it really hard, so I'm driving her back for a few hours tomorrow, if that's alright with you. Heero's doctor thinks it would be good for her to see you and her friend."

"I don't know, Odin. Both of the boys' mothers are staying at my place for the night and I promised to drive Duo's mother back to the hospital in the morning." She really didn't want her daughter to be exposed to the raw pain clearly visible on Helen and Caroline's faces.

Odin chewed his lip for a moment then suggested. "How about you pick some things that might be of comfort for her and take them with you to the hospital. We'll head straight to the hospital when we get there and have you paged. You can visit in the waiting room or something."

"That could work," she paused and though it over for a moment then continued "After we talk I can take Helen for coffee or something and you and Dorothy can visit Duo for a few moments, that way Dorothy won't have to deal with Helen just now." Midge fell bonelessly onto her bed. Though she was more concerned about Dorothy's reaction Caroline, Helen would most likely be the first of the parents the girl would see.

"Okay, we'll see you around one tomorrow afternoon, and Midge get some rest." He said fondly, remembering that many a time he told her to rest when Dorothy was a baby.

"I will, you take care of yourself too, give Heero my love and give Dorothy a kiss for me." She replied quietly, her eyes drooping in exhaustion.

They said their goodnights and went their separate ways for the night.

Tbc…

This story is very hard for me to write. A close family friend passed away from heart problems just this past Christmas, however I originally started this fic years ago and I am determined to finish it. So please be patient as chapters may be sporadically updated.

Here are some of the sites I have visited

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